Certain refrigerator appliances include a dispenser for directing ice from the refrigerator's ice maker and/or liquid water to the dispenser. A user can activate the dispenser to direct a flow of ice or liquid water into a cup or other container positioned within the dispenser. Liquid water directed to the dispenser is generally chilled or at an ambient temperature.
Further, certain refrigerator appliances can also include features for dispensing heated liquid water. The heated liquid water can be used to make certain beverages, such as coffee or tea. Refrigerators equipped to dispense heated liquid water can assist with making such beverages. Further, in some cases, refrigerator appliances may be equipped to provide single serving beverages using single serving dispensers and heated liquid water.
However, in some cases, users seeking heated water or a single serve beverage from a refrigerator appliance may be required to wait for a relatively longer period than is desirable to obtain such heated water or single serve beverage. For example, currently, water is heated on demand when a user indicates a desired for heated water or a single serve beverage. Such heating can in some cases take up to or longer than 5 minutes. Users may not want to wait for this period of time for heated water to be available.
Accordingly, improved refrigerator appliances and associated methods are desired in the art. In particular, refrigerator appliances and methods which provide improved heating of liquids to be dispensed would be advantageous.